The Shadow World
by blazingwing
Summary: Ava Walker has recently discovered that she has the power to slip into the shadows. Can the Justice League teach her to control these new found powers? My first fanfic please R&R! Takes place in season 1.
1. Prologue

Getting kidnapped to find a superhero is not the best idea I could've come up with, considering it earned me a large bump on my head, but hey it worked.

I woke up to the sounds of fighting; if you could even call it that. It was pretty much one sided. It only took a minute or two for the superhero to subdue the three men. After Green Arrow successfully knocked out all of the goons, he untied the rope around my wrists and helped me to my feet.

"Alright kid, you are lucky I was passing by and found you. Young girls like you should really be more careful about walking around at night." He scolded.

"Umm actually…," my shy interruption went unnoticed.

"Anyway the cops will be here in a few minutes, so I'll stay with you until they get here." The sound of sirens confirmed the archer's words, but my problem was larger than the police could handle.

"Green Arrow!" I practically shouted at him, nerves putting an edge on my voice. "Thank you for saving me, but I have another favor to ask of you."

He raised an eyebrow quizzically, but gestured for me to continue.

I took a shaky breath hoping I wouldn't be shot down, "I need help from the Justice League. S-something is happening to me and I need your help to control it."

Both eyebrows shot up at my request; obviously civilians didn't often ask to see heroes for my reason. "Are you in danger? You could go to the police…"

"No! No nothing like that." I sighed, "It might be easier to show you." I walked over to a nearby street lamp (_those stupid kidnappers didn't even take me into an alley! It's a miracle GA even found me on a light street_) stopping over the shadow that was being cast over some trash cans, I turned to see if the hero was still watching me. He was. "OK here goes." Green Arrows' eyes widened behind his mask, as I slowly sank into the shadows.

"Whoa, what-? Hey do you want some help getting out of there?" his second question was directed at the way I was grabbing the trash can and trying, unsuccessfully, to pull myself back up.

"Sure that would be great." I accepted the hand that was being offered to me, "I've never been completely underneath before." When my feet were safely planted back on solid pavement I breathed out a sigh of relief. What I had told GA wasn't really true; I'd seen what is in the shadow world and I didn't like it, but I wasn't ready to let anyone know that just yet.

"I'll have to talk with the other members before I can promise you anything, but I'm sure we'll be able to help you… Sorry, what's your name?"

I smiled for the first time that night, "Ava Walker."

It had been two days since my encounter with Green Arrow, and still no word from him. I tried to keep my mind on anything else besides my new mysterious powers, but sadly nothing could distract me for long. Throwing down my pencil, I turned away from my homework and started throwing darts at the homemade cardboard target on my wall. After making two in the second smallest ring, a rush of air flew past my head through my open window. A green arrow, with a note attached, was stuck in the middle of the bull's-eye. After catching my breath (_having an arrow fly a foot next to your head is scary_), I untied the note and began to read.

_Ava,_

_The Justice League has thought about your situation and has decided it is best to help you to control your powers by training you. Tomorrow morning at 6am there will be a car waiting to pick you up to take you to the Hall of Justice._

_Green Arrow_

_**P.S nice shot**_

The note was typed except for the last part, which GA had probably added at the last minute. I smiled as I folded and hid the note.

After hopping in bed I felt a huge sense of relief and calm that I haven't felt since I discovered my powers. The feeling stayed with me until I drifted into a peaceful sleep.

The next morning I got ready for my little trip to meet some super heroes. Yawning, I grabbed a pear and wrote a note to my parents telling them I would be out with friends all day. The sound of a car coming to a stop in front of my house sent me scurrying out the door.

A man stepped out of the silver Honda, "Hello miss Walker. My name is Aaron; I'll be your driver this morning."

I shook his hand, "Hi Aaron, just call me Ava."

"OK Ava, you ready to go?"

"Sure, let's get started."

It was a couple hours to DC so I slept most of the way (_waking up at 5 in the morning does not agree with teenagers_). Aaron woke me up when we were 10 minutes away from the hall.

Aaron gave me instructions as I got out of the car, "Catherine Colbert will take you to a waiting room. You'll recognize her? "

"Yeah, she's the public liaison right?"

"That's correct."

"Thanks for the ride Aaron."

"Of course," Aaron put the car in drive, "Have a nice day miss Ava."

I started up the path to the hall mumbling as I walked, "What's with the 'miss' stuff?"

Just like Aaron said Catherine met me at the entrance of the building and led me to a room with a long table and a couple chairs around it. After being told that someone would be with me shortly, I sat down and took a few deep breaths to calm my rising nerves. A few minutes passed before the two people came into the room. Black Canary and a man named John Jones introduced themselves to me (_my earlier thought that I would be meeting superheroes wasn't wrong). _

"So Ava, what can you tell us about these powers of yours?" Black Canary asked me gently.

After taking a few seconds to collect my thoughts I began telling her everything I knew so far "Well it all started about a month ago. The first time only my feet sank into the ground and I thought I was going crazy, but within a week every time I stepped into a dark shadow I would slowly fall through it."

I paused when I noticed the two adults exchange a look. The man seemed to nod as if he was somehow confirming my story.

"At first I was a little excited and nervous, but then…" I paused unsure of how to continue.

"Did you see something that scared you?" the man prompted me.

"I didn't tell Green Arrow the truth," I blurted out, "I got curious and looked in the shadow world and it was horrible." The words started pouring out of my mouth faster and faster. "Everything was in shades of black and white, and time seemed to flow differently. There were these creatures that were moving so fast, but I could see their every movement like they were waking in slow motion. I could hear these terrible screams."

I was trembling now and my eyes were starting to tear up. Canary put her hand on my shoulder "Don't worry Ava, we can help you here. We can train you to be able to control your powers so you won't have to go back to that place."

"No," I said and looked her in the eyes, "I want to be able to face my fears and go back there. I want to be trained."


	2. Meeting the team

Author's note: Hello again! Sorry it's taken me so long to update this, but I promise the next chapter will be out faster since I've already written some of it :) thank you to my first two reviewers Lord-of-Change and morningglassofOJ!

Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice if I did there would be a season 3 :/

I looked in the mirror as I braided my brown hair. Before I had found out about my powers, I hadn't put any effort into my hair, but now, after training with Black Canary, I learned the value of keeping my hair out of my face. It had been around six months since I had started training with Black Canary, after the school year ended I trained with her almost every day, Green Arrow had even attended a couple of my training sessions to see how I was doing.

At first Black Canary only had me meditating and doing basic physical fitness training, but after the first few weeks she started teaching me martial arts; noticing the interest I took in her fighting abilities and vigilante activities. Somewhere around the second month of my sessions with her, Black Canary had me test out if I could take anyone into the shadow world with me. After two hours of trying to drag Black Canary into the shadows, she decided that my powers only granted me the ability to take myself into the shadow world, along with any inanimate object I was holding.

One fateful night in early July Black Canary had taken me into the city with her as she patrolled one of the safer sides of the city. I had been wearing sunglasses and a cap to hide my face and was told to stay with her bike when we stopped. After seeing Black Canary take down two independent muggers with such gracefulness and flawlessness, I had my mind set on officially becoming Black Canary's partner. Soon after my revelation Black Canary dropped my off a couple blocks from my house and told me we would talk about my options tomorrow. Needless to say I didn't get much sleep that night.

The next day had been one of the most memorable of my life. Green Arrow and Black Canary had both been present to discuss my future vigilante career. Apparently a lot of thought and discussion had happened previous to that conversation. Of course now, after spending a month in the field with Black Canary, I understood why. Superheroes tend to put a lot of thought into how their actions will affect others.

It was after that first month in the field that Black Canary let me in on one of the league's secrets; that there is a group of young heroes who go on covert missions for the league. Today Black Canary is taking me to meet the team while she trains them in combat.

"Are you ready?"

I nodded back at Black Canary before beginning to walk down the hallway with her and Martian Manhunter. A flash of light came from the room before us and the computer announced the arrival of one of the team members, "Recognized Superboy, B04."

A girl's voice greeted the new arrival, "Hi Superboy. How was Metropolis?" but before he responded Black Canary cleared her throat drawing the team's attention to us.

"Ready for training everyone?"

The girl who had spoken before was the first to greet us, "Black Canary, Uncle J'onn!" she ran to her uncle and hugged him.

He responded with less enthusiasm, but no less affection. "M'gann. I was… in the neighborhood, so I thought I'd see how you are adjusting."

"A few bumps, but I'm learning."

"That's all I can ask."

My attention was drawn away from the relatives when Canary called out Superboy, "Stick around class is in session."

The boy, who had begun to leave, turned around, but didn't come back to join where his teammates were now watching Black Canary.

As she started walking to the side of the circle on the floor she gestured towards me, "This is my apprentice, Shadow Walker, she will be joining our lesson today."

Four of the teens greeted me Aqualad ,Robin, and Kid Flash simply nodded, M'gann smiled happily at me, but Superboy remain impassive with his arms crossed over his chest.

"I consider it an honor to be your teacher," Canary continued, "I'll throw a lot at you. Everything I've learned from my own mentors…" she paused letting out a slight groan as she slid her jacket off her injured arm. "And my own bruises."

M'gann's face twisted with concern, "what happened?"

"The job," Black Canary replied seriously. "Now, combat is about controlling conflict. Putting the battle on your terms; you should always be acting, never reacting. I'll need a sparring partner."

Kid Flash, who was eating a banana, raised his hand eagerly, "Right here, yeah." He walked towards my mentor and scarfed down the rest of the banana, "After this," he paused to throw the banana peel in the trash while making a swishing noise, "I'll show you my moves."

Both Black Canary and I raised an eyebrow in surprise at his very obvious and poor attempt to flirt, but Canary quickly regained her focus. They both took a fighting stance and began. Canary threw a punch towards Kid Flash's head, which he blocked, but she immediately dropped to the ground and swung her leg out causing the teen to fall to the ground.

"Oh," Kid Flash groaned, "that hurt so good."

"Good block." Canary complimented, "but did anyone see what he did wrong?"

"Oh, oh he hit on teacher and got served?" Robin jokingly replied.

"Dude!"

"He allowed me to dictate the terms of…"

"Oh please," Superboy rudely interrupted, "with my powers the battle's always on my terms. I'm a living weapon, and this is a waste of my time."

Black Canary smirked, "prove it."


End file.
